A viral post by a Bengaluru resident urges authorities and citizens to “de-saturate” the city amid rising population. The post highlights challenges including migrant influx, traffic congestion, water and electricity shortages, poor air quality.
Bengaluru: A viral post on Reddit by a Bengaluru native has ignited widespread discussion about the city’s rapid population growth and its impact on daily life. The post urges authorities and citizens alike to “de-saturate” Bengaluru, encouraging companies to expand in other cities to prevent overcrowding and maintain the city’s quality of life.
The user, a lifelong resident of Bengaluru, shared their frustration at the city’s burgeoning population, which has grown from 30 lakh to over 1.4 crore in 30 years, creating everyday chaos for residents. The post highlights the consequences of this growth, including traffic congestion, increased migration, water and electricity scarcity, poor air quality, and declining overall quality of life.
Daily Chaos And Overcrowding
The viral post reads:
“As a native, earlier I used to feel happy whenever a big IT company opened an office in Bengaluru. Now, if any company shifts or opens its branch in another city, I feel even happier. The city’s population has already crossed 1.4 crore, from 30 lakh in 30 years.”
Users Share Their Reactions
The post resonated strongly with Reddit users, who shared their own experiences and opinions:
“Parents left Bangalore in 2004 itself and don’t even wanna return here. They prefer Belagavi. Just because of job I’m stuck here.”
“Natives always suffer. Ask Goans, Delhites, Kolkata, Mumbai.I wish our respective government focussed on regional centres. Most of the Tier 2 cities seem under utilised.Both Migrants and Native suffer a lot.”
“Bengaluru shouldn’t become like Mumbai. Period.”
“I used to visit Mumbai as a kid, the city used to be so good, it was kind of a model city. I visited Mumbai last week for some office work, it was after a decade nearly, the city has dramatically gone down in its quality. I observed Delhi-like scenes there. Too much crowd, people everywhere, and a lot of slums have opened in pockets, even in very posh localities – I’m not blaming the poor, but it’s a sign of failing society where lot of people move in and due to uncontrolled settlement, people are deprived of opportunities. This shouldn’t happen in Bengaluru, Bengaluru still has its charm in the OG areas. We must be a city that respects quality and not quantity.”
“You do realise that there is something called urban planning and infra upgrade and development right. No one builds out a city anticipating millions of people. All cities have started small and eventually grow into millions of people. As time passes, infra is upgraded to support the growing population. Our politicians have sat on their asses without developing infra and now we are blaming population growth instead of politicians. This is just ass-backward of looking at things.”
“Since late 90s and early 2000s Bangalore hasn’t been seen any major infra upgrade or new project outside of metro. PRR was planned and proposed in 2005 and in 2025 the construction hasn’t even started. No wonder why the city infra is falling apart. If you don’t maintain and upgrade things they will eventually fall apart. De congest/De population = stopping economic growth and becoming like Kolkata. Is that what we want for our city?”
The Debate Over Population, Infrastructure, And Growth
The discussion highlights the tension between urban population growth and infrastructure development. While some residents call for decentralisation and balanced growth across Tier-2 cities, others emphasise the need for proper planning, upgrading existing infrastructure, and expanding services to accommodate the growing population without slowing economic growth.
Looking Ahead: Can Bengaluru Maintain Its Charm?
As Bengaluru continues to grow as India’s IT and startup hub, the city faces a crucial challenge: balancing economic growth with livability. The viral post has sparked conversations among residents, urban planners, and policymakers about sustainable city development and the need for urgent infrastructure improvements to ensure Bengaluru remains a city that respects both quality and quantity.